Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-12-01
INDUSTRIAL BREVITIES.

INDUSTRIAL BREVITIES.
Locusts, for the fourth year in success
sion, have devastated Bagdad, the most
fertile province of Asiatlc Turkey, thous-
ands of hectares of cultivated land hav-
ing been transformed into desert IN the
coarse Of few days. The most rigorous
measures for the destruction of the pest
have beer imposed upon the inhabitants
by the Ottoman government, and some
benefit has resulted from the destruction
of eggs in wlnters and Larvae IN spring
but the mischief is that fresh swarms
have come year after year from the
southeast-thaG is, Persia, Beloochlstan
and India. The harm done Is not con-
fined to the injury to crops for the at
mosphere during the visitation, is pollut-
ed with nauseous Odor, and the canals
of irrigation, into which the insects are
thrown in great quantities, exhale pu-
trid vapor, which causes much sickness
among the people.
Formerly it was common in giving di-
rections for transplanting trees to add
Instructions how to stake them, to pre-
vent blowing over OIL becoming twisted by
the wind, which was really one of the
worst things that could happen to them,
and such stalking was always essential If
the top was larger than the roots. But
better way is to Obviate the necessity OF
stalking by taking up SUFFICIENT
breadth of roots to hold the tree firmly
in position when properly planted. Long
and ample roots will hold the tree better
than any stalking. Purchasers of trees
should therefore make this requirement
or the nurseryman. 1t is particularly I'M
portaut for trees set out in autumn and
subject to November winds.
Dr. s. Pelton, of Stark county, Dakota.
writes to leading newspaper concerning
alfalfa: I seeded a plot on June with
twepty-one pounds to the acre, AND an
other with twenty five pounds, and find
the latter none too thick. In California
twenty to thirty pounds is the rule. May
and July l sowed small plots. The
last is now twenty inches high and 1 send
herewith twig of the first, to show you
how thickly it seeds. That sown June
is in bloom and thirty inches high. l
seeded plot of sixteen rods August 1 Oh
fresh broken sod on the side of sand
hill. 1t is growing finely, but that sown
July 1 is the most vigorous of all.
Cuttings of currant, gooseberry, all of
the willows, all of the poplars except
the varieties of the white poplar tree,
honeysuokIe, mock orange, the spiraes
that do not sprout or sucker, tamarlx,
cornus, sumach, elderberry, ETC., should
be set as soon as they are matured III the
fall. Make the new wood cuttings about
eight inches long, cutting close to bud
at the lower end and a shor5 distance
above the bud at the top Set in well
prepared ground down to the top bud
and cover the line of the rows with mulch
of leaves, prairie hay, or straw, before
cold weather, to be raked off early IN
spring.
One of the great advantages of swine
growing, and the one that makes hogs
the poor mans stock, is the rapidity with
which they may be turned into money.
While it takes horses and cattle from two
to four years to get to a salable age, the
hog ought to be fit TO sell at six to eight
months old. This is very great advan-
tage to the man who is not able TO hold
his stock for a long time, but Is COM
PEELED to turn short corners to make his
way in the world. 1t is not well to give
up the farm entirely TO hog raising, but
it is we'll to have good number rea dy to
turn off each year.
One of the seattle kings" of America
now staying in England estimates that
five million cattle have persisted from
starvation during the last twelve months.
Frost and snow in winter and drought in
summer where the Immediate causes of
the fatality; but the losses would have
been com paratively small if it had not
been for the overstocking of the ranges.
AS an illustration of the effect of the
castro the, it is said that rangement who
have usually branded five thousand calves
per annum had only about fifteen hundred
TO mark at the last round up.
According 70 circular issued from
the emigrants' information Office In
London, there is steady demand for
farm laborers in Canada, men and boys,
after the winter is over, as well as for
female servants ali the year round.
Farmers with little capital are encour-
aged to settle in all parts of the Domln-
ion but men who know the country we'll
are of opinion that Calgary and other
districts near the Rocky mountains, where
the climate is we'll suited to the rearing
of stock, afford by far the best openings
at the present time.
An ingenious plan TO save dying pear
tree was adopted in the garden of l.. M.
Chase, of Boston. The mice had girded
the tree so that it se.msd bound to die.
Mr.. Chase planted four small trees around
it, and close to it, cut off the tops, point
ed the ends, and, making incisions in the
bark of the pear, bent the small trees,
and grated them upon the dying trunk.
They all lived, aad that tree draws its
nOurish meat from the small ones. This
season bushel of handsome pears were
taken from it.
The corn canning companies of Maine
are closing their seasons business. The